Great Lakes Wire

A resident of Van Buren County, Michigan, has won $1 million from the Michigan Lottery’s Major Cashword instant game. The prize came as a result of an unexpected ticket purchase. The winner, who wishes to remain anonymous, recounted that the ticket was given by mistake, as they had requested a different game.

“I play Cashword tickets occasionally, but purchasing this ticket was a total fluke,” the winner said. Upon realizing the cashier's error, they decided to keep the Major Cashword ticket. The next morning, the winner’s wife used a Lottery app to check the ticket. “When $1 million came up on the screen, I felt like I couldn’t breathe! I thought it was some sort of prank at first. Once I realized it was real, I put the ticket in a jar and buried it in the yard because I was so paranoid something would happen to it if I kept it in the house!”

In response to the unique method of safeguarding the ticket, Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli shared, “Lottery players find interesting ways to keep their tickets safe after scoring a big win. Burying the ticket in a Mason Jar is certainly a unique way to hang on to a winning ticket! Congratulations to the lucky winner on his $1 million buried treasure!”

The ticket was purchased at the Speedway gas station on South Kalamazoo Street in Paw Paw. The winner visited Lottery headquarters to claim the prize as a lump sum of about $634,000, opting out of annuity payments. The winner plans to use the money for bills, home mortgage, and retirement savings.

Since February 2024, the Major Cashword game has awarded over $65 million. More than $47 million in prizes are still available, including two $1 million awards. In 2024, instant game players claimed nearly $1.8 billion in prizes. Tickets can be bought at retailers across Michigan.